This invention generally pertains to button attaching means. More specifically, the invention relates to a tack button assembly which is adapted to be affixed to one or more layers of a fabric or other material.
The invention is particularly applicable to a button intended to be attached to garments. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention has broader applications and may also be adapted for use on fabrics or other materials employed in many other environments, such as footwear, handbags, luggage, and the like.
Tack fastened button assemblies have come into widespread use as replacements for buttons which are attached to a garment by thread. This has occurred because the conventional use of thread has a number of drawbacks, eg., it requires some amount of expertise to properly use, requires special equipment for high volume applications, is time consuming if done by hand, and has limited strength capabilities. Also, thread is subject to wear, and some buttons are lost as a result.
Button assemblies which are directed to eliminating the need for using thread include those using molded plastic buttons which are fastened to the garment by metallic tacks. One difficulty with these conventional plastic buttons is that the garment material is dragged into a tack receiving aperture provided in the button body to such a degree that an exaggerated hole is created in the fabric. Such hole, in turn, enables a pull-through condition to exist wherein the enlarged head of the tack will be pulled through the fabric hole at relatively low force levels. Also, since the fabric is dragged into the receiving aperture, it typically will pucker and cause an unacceptable or undesirable appearance.
Accordingly, it has been considerred desirable to develop a new and improved tack button assembly which would overcome the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous overall results.